What a blessed couple of weeks we have had at Church Hill Baptist. We have had many students leaving for college, some for the very first time. We are in constant prayer for them.
Our Sunday school and AWANA programs are now up and running. What a blessing it is to serve in these ministries! These precious children and young adults are the future preachers, preachers wives, missionaries, deacons and general servants of Christ. This past Sunday and Wednesday we welcomed Evangelist Seth Ferguson to Church Hill Baptist. For his Wednesday sermon, you can click on the bottom of this page. For a young man, he certainly brought an old-fashioned fire with him. He is off to Howland, Maine to preach this coming weekend. We wish him very well.
Since we are talking about preaching, I have to say I have never, ever heard a boring sermon here..... Pastor Wiley has been on fire lately and if you have missed any installments of his "But we preach..." series, please download them and listen. Wheeeewwwiiiieeee, talk about fire from above!
We want to congratulate Pastor Josh Lovelace, as he was officially voted in as the Pastor of Truth Baptist Church in Jefferson. Praise the Lord! Woo Hoo!! (Hankie raised in the air!)
Looking forward we have missions week beginning Saturday October 3 with a "meet the missionary" night at 5 pm. Please sign up to bring casseroles and salads. I am getting hungry already (it does not take much). Be prepared to spend the rest of the week with us as the conference goes straight through Wednesday night. We have missionaries and preachers lined up. Look for a blessing and plan to be there!
As for the Jones family, the Lord is moving! We will be making some major changes soon, please pray for us as we enter the next very exciting part of our life! This time we are stepping out of the way and letting the Lord have the reigns. For 37 years I followed me. Now it is the Lord's turn.
Thank you all and may the Lord richly bless you.
Matthew Jones
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Are you a pig or a chicken?
Sometimes we can look to simple things of this life to learn deep lessons. Consider your breakfast of bacon and eggs. A chicken and a pig both contribute to the meal. There is a very big obvious difference between the two. The chicken has provided a contribution by giving the egg that was laid. The pig lost it's very life so you can enjoy that bacon.
Now, consider your spiritual life. Are you giving the Lord a contribution, or giving yourself a sacrifice? Which is Biblical?
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Hmmm, God's word answers that question, huh?
So again I ask: are you a pig or a chicken?
Are you giving the Lord a contribution, or providing yourself a living sacrifice? The Lord Jesus Christ condescended to us, endured the shame of the cross for us and died and rose again the third day for us. The least we can do is be obedient to God's word and "present your bodies a living sacrifice". You make the call.........
Now, consider your spiritual life. Are you giving the Lord a contribution, or giving yourself a sacrifice? Which is Biblical?
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Hmmm, God's word answers that question, huh?
So again I ask: are you a pig or a chicken?
Are you giving the Lord a contribution, or providing yourself a living sacrifice? The Lord Jesus Christ condescended to us, endured the shame of the cross for us and died and rose again the third day for us. The least we can do is be obedient to God's word and "present your bodies a living sacrifice". You make the call.........
Thursday, September 3, 2009
New Sermons from Church Hill Baptist
I have uploaded many new sermons from the pulpit of Church Hill Baptist Church. Please download, listen, enjoy as often as you like. I will be uploading new sermons weekly. I will also be uploading some special sermons like the revival week with Dr. Scott Caudill. Enjoy and may God bless!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Church Planting / Assisting update!!!!!
I am very happy to say that God is doing a special work in Maine. Churches are being planted where there were none, Churches that were dying have received new life...... Praise the Lord!
This morning a group from Church Hill Baptist met up with Truth Baptist Church to distribute Gospel of John fliers around the town of Jefferson. With a major help from another Independent Fundamental Baptist Church who sent many members from Connecticut, we distributed over 1100 fliers! That is 1100 families that now have God's Word in their possession.
Speaking of Truth Baptist Church, interim pastor Josh Lovelace has officially announced his candidacy for the full time Pastorship of the Church. Just two months ago it looked as if Truth Baptist Church would be closing their doors for good. Thanks be to Jesus Christ there were a small group of church members that would not give up. This church has had as many as 100 members in the past. They are not talking just about all God used to do among them, they are speaking of what God will do through them. The future is wide open.
Bible Baptist Church of Unity officially moved out of the house of Pastor Pelkey and his family into the community center down town. So far the church that started with just a few family members and a Bible study is now averaging over 30 for each Sunday morning service. They are not growing because they are "giving people what they want" or because they are entertaining the people. They are growing through the preaching of the King James Bible! Praise God for Pastor Pelkey who loves his flock enough to preach to them what they need to hear.
Barter's Island Baptist Church, a church that formerly had a membership of over 100 people has recently seen attendance dwindle to single digits. This church, another Independent Fundamental Baptist Church, attracted the attention of Pastor Todd Bell (Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford, Maine) and his "Next Towns Ministries". Pastor Bell and Pastor James Wiley (Church Hill Baptist Church in Augusta, Maine) paid the church a visit and within a couple of months an Evangelist from North Carolina was on Barters Island ready to preach the Word of God! They recently had a full week of revival services where at least one soul was saved and many people heard the Word of God preached with fire and passion. Pray that this work will continue to grow.
On the island of Islesboro, the Schoppee family continues with their work planting an IFB church on the island. Island Baptist Church represents the only place on the island where people can go and hear the true Gospel preached every week. Please continue to pray for the Schoppee family as they allow the Lord to use them in a very special way.
There is also the work of Pastor Ron Meldrum who is working on planting an IFB church in northern Maine as well as Brother Carl Morrison who is planting another IFB church in Maine.
If any readers know of another IFB church planting effort currently going on please email me at mainefundamentalbaptist@roadrunner.com and let me know.
Please continue to pray for all of these efforts as the Lord moves in Maine in a special way. Please do your part and invite people to your IFB church so they may hear the preaching of God's Word and have their lives changed for eternity.
This morning a group from Church Hill Baptist met up with Truth Baptist Church to distribute Gospel of John fliers around the town of Jefferson. With a major help from another Independent Fundamental Baptist Church who sent many members from Connecticut, we distributed over 1100 fliers! That is 1100 families that now have God's Word in their possession.
Speaking of Truth Baptist Church, interim pastor Josh Lovelace has officially announced his candidacy for the full time Pastorship of the Church. Just two months ago it looked as if Truth Baptist Church would be closing their doors for good. Thanks be to Jesus Christ there were a small group of church members that would not give up. This church has had as many as 100 members in the past. They are not talking just about all God used to do among them, they are speaking of what God will do through them. The future is wide open.
Bible Baptist Church of Unity officially moved out of the house of Pastor Pelkey and his family into the community center down town. So far the church that started with just a few family members and a Bible study is now averaging over 30 for each Sunday morning service. They are not growing because they are "giving people what they want" or because they are entertaining the people. They are growing through the preaching of the King James Bible! Praise God for Pastor Pelkey who loves his flock enough to preach to them what they need to hear.
Barter's Island Baptist Church, a church that formerly had a membership of over 100 people has recently seen attendance dwindle to single digits. This church, another Independent Fundamental Baptist Church, attracted the attention of Pastor Todd Bell (Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford, Maine) and his "Next Towns Ministries". Pastor Bell and Pastor James Wiley (Church Hill Baptist Church in Augusta, Maine) paid the church a visit and within a couple of months an Evangelist from North Carolina was on Barters Island ready to preach the Word of God! They recently had a full week of revival services where at least one soul was saved and many people heard the Word of God preached with fire and passion. Pray that this work will continue to grow.
On the island of Islesboro, the Schoppee family continues with their work planting an IFB church on the island. Island Baptist Church represents the only place on the island where people can go and hear the true Gospel preached every week. Please continue to pray for the Schoppee family as they allow the Lord to use them in a very special way.
There is also the work of Pastor Ron Meldrum who is working on planting an IFB church in northern Maine as well as Brother Carl Morrison who is planting another IFB church in Maine.
If any readers know of another IFB church planting effort currently going on please email me at mainefundamentalbaptist@roadrunner.com and let me know.
Please continue to pray for all of these efforts as the Lord moves in Maine in a special way. Please do your part and invite people to your IFB church so they may hear the preaching of God's Word and have their lives changed for eternity.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Righteousness Exalteth a Nation
Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."
The Lord loves righteousness. We learn this from many passages in scripture including Psalm 11:7. The America of today is far from a righteous nation. I don't need to go deep to make this point. From abortion to sexual immorality our country is way off the "old paths". In times like this America has always been able to look to the Church of the Living God to be righted. Unfortunately the American churches of today are far from righteous themselves. What has happened to churches? Oh, how liberalism has entered and destroyed the fabric of righteousness. There is no emphasis on holy living anymore. Why? In 1 Peter 2:9 we read "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:". How is a church being "peculiar" if they are attempting to do all of the same things the world is doing? You are very likely to walk into most churches now and see worldly dress and worldly music. Why is that? Does it not say in Romans 12 :2 "And be ye not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Is that so hard to understand? We do not need to do the "Christian" version of what the world is doing (conformed), we need to do what is peculiar (transformed). People ought to be able to look at a Christian and see something very different (peculiar) about them. "Oh, you are such a legalist!" Well, if being a legalist means I love what God loves, then I guess that is what I am. We need to love what God loves, and one of those is righteous living.
The Lord loves righteousness. We learn this from many passages in scripture including Psalm 11:7. The America of today is far from a righteous nation. I don't need to go deep to make this point. From abortion to sexual immorality our country is way off the "old paths". In times like this America has always been able to look to the Church of the Living God to be righted. Unfortunately the American churches of today are far from righteous themselves. What has happened to churches? Oh, how liberalism has entered and destroyed the fabric of righteousness. There is no emphasis on holy living anymore. Why? In 1 Peter 2:9 we read "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:". How is a church being "peculiar" if they are attempting to do all of the same things the world is doing? You are very likely to walk into most churches now and see worldly dress and worldly music. Why is that? Does it not say in Romans 12 :2 "And be ye not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Is that so hard to understand? We do not need to do the "Christian" version of what the world is doing (conformed), we need to do what is peculiar (transformed). People ought to be able to look at a Christian and see something very different (peculiar) about them. "Oh, you are such a legalist!" Well, if being a legalist means I love what God loves, then I guess that is what I am. We need to love what God loves, and one of those is righteous living.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Another reason we all need to be soul winners.....
Mrs. Angel Hayward went home to be with the Lord today. What a great witness she was throughout her life. Her final days gave stirring testimony of how powerful the peace of God's salvation through Jesus Christ truly is. Her concern was for everyone else, not herself. The feeling in the room was not absolute horror, as is the case most of the time when an unsaved person is ready to slip into eternity. Sure, her family will sorely miss her and we all need to pray for the Haywards and be ready to physically help in every way they need help, but her entire family knows she is in her new body and they will all see her again.
The passing of Mrs. Angel is just another reason we all need to be soul winners. Without trusting in Jesus Christ unto salvation, the lost person would never be able to experience the peace that Mrs. Angel experienced in her last days. This lost and dying world needs to know there is a hope for them through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. A family member dying is always sad, but it does not need to be hopeless. There is hope! Jesus Christ has conquered the grave! We praise His name! We all need to spread the gospel, it truly is the word of life.
The passing of Mrs. Angel is just another reason we all need to be soul winners. Without trusting in Jesus Christ unto salvation, the lost person would never be able to experience the peace that Mrs. Angel experienced in her last days. This lost and dying world needs to know there is a hope for them through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. A family member dying is always sad, but it does not need to be hopeless. There is hope! Jesus Christ has conquered the grave! We praise His name! We all need to spread the gospel, it truly is the word of life.